Variable-speed mechanism.



No. 861,404. PATENTED JULY 30, 1907.

- H. R. STAGKS.

VARIABLE SPEED MECHANISM.

APPLICATION IlLED MAY 19,1904.

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MIHWHH No. 861,404. 7 PATENTED JULY 30, 1907.

' H. R. STAGKS.

VARIABLE SPEED MECHANISM.

APPLIO ATION FILED MAY 19.1904.

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N0- 861,404. PATENTED JULY 30, 1907.

' H. R. STAGKS.

VARIABLE SPEED MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19.1904. I

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No. 861,404. PATENTED JULY 30, 1907. H. R. STAGKS. VARIABLE SPEEDMEGHANISM. APPLICATION rn-nn MAY 19.1904.

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.. m y w UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIGE HOWARD ROY STAOKS, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GEO. V. ORESSON COMPANY, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

VARIABLE-SPEED MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1907.

Application filed May 19,1904. $erial No- 208,680.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD ROY STAcKs, of Philadelphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia and in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certainnew and useful Improvement in Variable-Speed Mechanisms, and

do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which Figure l is a perspective view of a variable speed mechanismembodying my invention; Figs. 2 and 3 are, respectively, side and endelevations; Fig. 4 is a partial transverse sectional view showing one ofthe conical disks, together with the thrust bearing and trunnionsthereof in section. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on theline 55 of Fig. 1; Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views, in section, of one ofthe split or divided collars for transmitting motion from the levers tothe cones; Fig. 8 is a partial, sectional view of a cone and a slat,showing a retaining device for the slat.

The object of my invention has been to provide a mechanism by which anydesired speed of rotation can be transmitted from one shaft to anothershaft, and to do this by means which are highly efficient, simple anddurable, and to such ends, my invention consists in 2 the variable speedmechanism hereinafter specified.

In carrying my invention into practice, as illustrated in the specificinstance chosen, 1 provide a base A, having side frames (1 and a,respectively, in which side frames are journaled the driving shaft '13preferably having a constant rate of rotation, and the driven orvariable speed shaft O, to which it is desired to transmit rotation atvarious speeds. The said shafts may be journaled in any form of boxes.The boxes which have been found most convenient are those illustrated inthe 3 patent to A. G. Pessano, 654,276, granted July 24th, 1900. Uponeach of the said shafts is mounted a pair of disks D, whose opposingfaces are conical, and are provided with radial grooves d. The groovesare preferably formed, as illustrated, with fiat bottoms and flar- 40ing side walls. Each disk is splined upon its shaft and has a hub thatis journaled within a collar E mounted upon the shaft, between the diskand the frame of the machine, so that, by the movement of the collaralong the shaft, the pairs of disks can be shifted toward or 4 5 fromeach other. The said collars are shifted by means of lovers F and Fwhich are fulcrumed at a point intermediate of the shafts in a mannerpresently to be described, and are journaled upon studs formed upon theupper and lower sides of the said collars, and preferably in a planepassing through the axes of the respective shafts. The pairs of loversare, or may be, connected by bolts f, so as to give them rigidity.Inasmuch as great strain falls upon the collars E, so that they aresubjected to wear, it is, therefore, important to have them readilyremovable from the shaft 0 for repair or replacement, and for thisreason each collar is made in halves, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7,which are united by nuts and bolts. \Vith the collars made solid, theonly way to get them from the shaft is to move the latter endwisethrough them, a proceeding that is very objectionable, since it involvesdismantling. Another advantage in making the collars in separable halvesis that they can be provided with a ring oiler e. If they are made solidan expensive oil-cup is required. In view of the strains and wear towhich the collar E is subjected, it is, of course, very important thatthey be well oiled. Preferably, the studs upon the collars E do notdirectly engage the levers F and F, but a bushing f is employed, ofbrass or other suitable metal, so that the sliding movement of the partsmay be as easy and free from friction as possible. The fulcrums of thelovers are, as shown in Fig. 5, formed by screws G which are threadedinto the fulcrum block g, the latter being loosely mounted upon atie-rod H, extending from side frame to side frame, between the twopairs of disks. The tie-rod is bolted to the side frames, and isprovided with threaded portions h, upon which are mounted pairs of nutsh that serve to adjust collars 7L toward and from the fulcrum block, theadjacent faces of the collars and fulcrum block being preferablyrecessed, and springs being interposed between the collars and fulcrumblock, so that the fulcrum block may be yieldingly forced toward eachother and the pairs of levers consequently yieldingly forced toward thedisks which they operate. I

At the forward end of the base, are mounted a pair of end frames I, inwhich is journaled a screw rod K having a collar and a hand-wheelthereon to prevent endwise movement, and having a hand-wheel for turningthe rod( The screw rod is oppositely threaded at points outside of theend frames I, and such threaded portions engage blocks 2', which arepreferably elliptical in horizontal cross-section, and which arereceived within preferably rectangular chambers formed in blocks L, thatare journaled between the forward ends of the pairs of levers. Byturning the handwheel, the blocks L can be made to travel in and out onthe threaded portions of the screw rod, and to draw the ends of thepairs of levers together or spread them apart so that the disks upon oneshaft shall be forced together, while at the same time, the disks on theopposite shaft will be spread apart. The corresponding grooves in eachpair of disks are occupied by slats M, the said slats being preferablyformed of wood, and

preferably, although not necessarily, having their ends which engage thegrooves shed with metal, the preferred metal being brass, or a similarcomposition.

The two cylinders formed by the slats are embraced by a belt or belts 0,there being, preferably, two of such belts located near the outer endsof the slats. These belts are open belts. In order to retain-the slatsin position during the portion of their revolution when they are notengaged by the driving belts O; I provide a retaining belt I, which isguided upon four idlers, two of which, Q and Q, are mounted in bracketsIt and R secured upon the rear end of the base A, and two of which S andS, are mounted on the brackets l, at the forward end of the frame. Theretaining belt passes from the upper surface of the idler Q, around suchidler, over the upper surface of the adjacent cylinder of slats, thencearound such cylinder of slats, and over the upper surface of the loweridler Q, around such idler, and straightforward to the under surface ofthe lower idler S, over such idler and around the adjacent cylinder ofslats to the under surface of the idler S, around such idler andrearward again. It will be seen that the two cylinders of slats are thuscompletely inclosed in their belts, so that the slats are at all timespressed toward the shafts and down into the grooves in the disks, and nomotion of the slats relative to'the disks in a given adjustment of thedisks is possible. The retaining belt preferably runs between thedriving belts. In order to insure that the retaining belt shall be undertension, the journal boxes of the upper idler S are formed on slides T,that are movable upon guideways formed on the upper ends of the bracketsI,

the said slides being engaged by the heads of bolts U that are droppedinto recesses formed in said slides, the said bolts passing throughflanges formed on the brackets I, and having coiled springs thereon,outside of said brackets, there being collars on said bolts and nuts foradjusting the position of said cellars, so that the tension of saidspring is applied to the shaft of the idler to draw it forward. It willthus be seen that the driving belts are kept under tension by means ofthe springs applied to the fulcrums of the pairs of levers, and theretaining belt is kept under tension by means of the springs on thebolts U.

In order to prevent the slats being thrown out of the machine andcausing injury in case the belts or any of them should break, I providea strap V which is supported on the frame at its ends, and is extendedover the space between the two pairs of disks. An alternativeconstruction is illustrated in Fig. 8 in which rods W are secured to theperipheries of the disks and extend parallel to the conical facesthereof, the slats being provided with holes to permit the passage ofsaid rods. The slats are preferably crowned, or made of increased heightunder each belt to keep each belt away from the neighboring belts or thedisks. This saves wear on the edge of the belt. The journal boxespreferably of the same form as that illustrated in the Pessano patent,before referred to. boxes of this type of great advantage, since theyare not only self-lubricating, but I can place the base of myspeed-controller either on the floor or on the ceiling, or in a verticalposition, and yet can adjust the journal boxes so that the oilreceptacle shall always be underslats is occupied by belts.

out dismantling the machine. 1 practically constant. The tension rodupon which the neath, and thus proper lubrication be provided for. Theboxes, it will be observed, are supported between two vertical and twohorizontal set screws, and by the use of such set screws the tension ofthe belts can be regulated, if desired. I

In the operation of the above-illustrated speed mechanism, power may beapplied to either shaft, but the shaft B will be designated as thedriving shaft. \Vhen such shaft is rotated, it causes its disks torevolve and carries the slats around with them, causing the drivingbelts, and also the retaining belt, to rotate the opposite cylinder ofslats, and with it the disks and their shaft. The speed which istransmitted to the drive shaft will depend upon the relative diametersof the two cylin- (lens of slats, and these diameters depend upon thepositions of the pairs oflevers. When the levers are moved to increaseor decrease'the driving pulley formed by 'the cylinder of slats upon thedriving shaft, they, at the same time, cause an increase or decrease inthe diameter of the driven pulley formed by the cylinder to vary thediameters of the. cylind'ers'of slats, so that the ratio of the speedsof thetwo shafts may be varied from unity to that of one to ten.

The above-illustrated construction has the great advantage that thedriving 1 belts are open belts. This saves wear upon the belts,

since'they are bent always in one direction, and it enables themechanism to be run either backward or fo rward. All of the beltsemployed on the machine are 7 driving belts, it being, foundthat theretaining belt transmits a large percentage of power. his not necessaryto use endless belts in my mechanism, and laced belts can be used, ifdesired. All of the belts can be of the same width. Practically thewhole length ofthe Since laced belts can'be used, new belts can beplaced upon the machine with- The belt tension is fulcrums of the leversare mounted, takes the strains from the lever off the frame. The idlerpulleys are all in exposed positions, where they can be oiled andwatched, and easily adjusted and repaired. Moreover, they can beprovided with self-oiling boxes, which has not been feasible in someprevious variable speed mechanisms, because of the crainped space inwhich they had to be. located. The ratio of the diameters of thecylinders of slats can be varied by lengthening or shortening the belts.The shifting of the levers by means of the screw shaft is simple andefficient It is obvious that various changes can be made in theabove-illustrated construction, which will be within the scope of myinvention. For instance, a separate retaining belt can be used for eachcylinder of slats. for the idlers, with the exception of the idler S,are

Having thus described my invention, what I claim 'is: I find the use of-1. In a variable speed mechanism, the combination of cylinders whosediamet'ers can be varied, a belt engaging cylinders by the outside ofsaid belt.

2. In a variable speed mechanism, the combination of cylinders whosediameters can be varied, said cylinders consisting of loose parts, abelt inclosing said cylinders, and a belt having rentrant loops, thatengage the por tions of said cylinders not engaged by said firstmentioned belt.

In a variable speed mechanism, the combination of parallel shafts,expanslble pulleys on said shafts, the surface of which pulleys isformed by loose parts, a belt inclosing said pulleys, and having a pathconsisting of two arcs of circles connected by straight lines, and abelt inclosing the portions of said cylinders not in contact with saidlirst mentioned belt, said last mentioned belt having redntrant loops toengage said cylinders.

4-. In a variable speed mechanism, the combination of a pair of parallelshafts, expansible pulleys on said shafts. the surfaces of which pulleysconsist of loose parts, a belt inclosing both of said pulleys andengaging the portions of their peripheries most removed from each other,and a belt en aging the portions of the peripheries of said pul leys ne;'cst to each other, said last mentioned belt passing from one pulley tothe other by a path farther from said pulleys than the path of saidfirst mentioned belt.

In a variable speed mechanism, the combination of a pair of parallelshafts, conical disks mounted on said shafts and having flaring groovesformed in their conical surfaces, slats mounted in said grooves, openbelts passing about the two cylinders of slats thus formed, two pairs ofidlers, said pairs being on opposite sides of said shafts, and aretaining belt passing about said idlers and the portions of theperipheries of said cylinders not engaged by said driving belts.

G. In a variable speed mechanism, the combination of a pair of parallelshafts, a pair of opposing conical disks upon each of said shafts, slatsengaging the conical surfaces of said disks and forming cylinders, abelt engaging the said cylinders, which belt travels only in straightlines in passing from one cylinder to the opposite cylinder-la retainingbelt having two reentrant loops, each loop being adapted to engage theinner portion of the periphery of one of said cylinders, and means forguiding said retain ing belt.

7. In a variable speed mechanism, the combination of a pair of parallelshafts, a pair of opposing conical disks mounted upon each of saidshafts, slats engaging the con lcal surfaces of said disks and formingcylinders, open driving belts engaging said cylinders, means for movingsaid disks toward and from each other to increase or decrease thediameters of said cylinders, a retaining belt whose path of travel formssubstantially a letter I, the concave curves thereof embracing theopposing peripheries of the said cylinders and means for guiding saidretaining belt.

8. In a variable speed mechanism, the combination of a pair of parallelshafts, a pair of disks mounted on each shaft and provided with opposingconical surfaces, slats mounted in grooves formed in said surfaces, saidslats forming cylinders, levers fulcrumed between said disks andengaging said disks, whereby the disks of one of said pairs are causedto approach each other, while the disks of the other of said pairs aresimultaneously caused to recede from each other, a belt embracing saidcylinders of slats, which belt travels only in straight lines in passingfrom one cylinder to the opposing cylinder and a retaining belt havingtwo recntrantloops that are adapted to engage the opposing surfaces ofsaid cylinders.

9. In a variable speed mechanism, the combination of two eXpansiblepulleys, means for driving one of said pulleys from the other thereof,upper and lower levers fulcrumed between said pulleys and connectedthereto, blocks swiveled between the ends of said upper and lowerlevers, nuts mounted in said blocks so that they can turn in the planeof said levers with reference thereto, and a screw-shaft engaging saidnuts.

10. In a variable speed mechanism, the combination of two expansiblepulleys, means for driving one of said pulleys from the other thereof,upper and lower levers fulcrumed between said pulleys and connectedthereto. blocks swiveled between the ends of said upper and lowerlevers, nuts mounted in said blocks so that they can turn in the planeof said levers with reference thereto, said nuts being elliptical insection parallel to the plane of said levers, and being seated inrectangular chambers formed in said blocks, and a screwshaft engagingsaid nuts.

11. In a variable speed mechanism, the combination of two expansiblepulleys, means for driving one of said pul leys from the other thereof,upper and lower levers ful crumed between said pulleys and connectedthereto, blocks swiveled between the ends of said upper and lowerlevers,

.nuts mounted in said blocks so that they can turn in the plane of saidlevers with reference thereto, said nuts con sisting of ellipticalshapcdblocks, each mounted in an elongated chamber in a block that is swiveledto said levers, and a right and left screwshaft engaging said nuts formoving said levers.

12. In a variable speed mechanism, the combination of a pair ofexpansible pulleys, means for driving one of said pulleys from the otherthereof, a pair of levers fulcrumed between and connecting one of eachof said pairs of pulleys, each of said levers consisting of an upper barand a lower bar braced together, a block swiveled on each lever betweensaid upper and lower bars, each of said blocks having a chamber formedtherein, and an elliptical-shaped nut seated in said chamber, saidmechanism having a right and left screw red engaging said nuts.

13. The combination of a pair of expansible pulleys, means for drivingone of said pulleys from the other thereof, upper and lower leversconnecting one of each of said pairs of pulleys, fulcrum blocks for saidlevers, said ful crum blocks being mounted between said levers andbetween the shafts of said pulleys, a tie-rod connecting said fulcrumblocks shoulders on said tie-rod and springs interposed between saidfulcrum blocks and said shoulders.

14. The combination of a pair of expansible pulleys, belts engaging saidpulleys, levers engaging said pulleys for moving the pulleys of eachpair toward and from each other, said levers being fulcrumed between theshafts of said pulleys, and springs tending to move said fulcra towardeach other, whereby said belts are automatically kept taut.

15. The combination of two pairs of opposing conical disks, beltsengaging said disks, levers engaging said disks for moving them towardand from each other, said levers being fulcrumed between the shafts ofsaid disks, and springs tending to move said fulcra toward each other,whereby said belts are automatically kept taut.

16. The combination of two pairs of opposing conical disks, said diskshaving slats engaging their surfaces and forming cylinders of slats,levers engaging said disks for moving them toward and from each other,and a tie-rod connecting the fulcrnms of said levers, collars mounted onsaid tie-rods outside of said fulcrums, and springs interposed betweensaid fulcrums and said collars.

17. The combination of two pairs of opposing conical disks, said diskshaving slats engaging their surfaces and forming cylinders of slats,levers engaging said disks for moving them toward and from each other,and a tiered connecting the fnlcrums of said levers, collars mounted onsaid tie rods thereon outside of said fulcrums, and springs interposedbetween said fulcrums and said collars.

18. In a variable speed mechanism, the combination of a shaft, bearingsfor said shaft, an expansible pulley mounted on said shaft between saidbearings, said pulley comprising a part movable longitudinally of saidshaft for expanding said pulley, a collar on said shaft for moving saidparts, said collar being provided with trunnions, and a lever engagingsaid trunnions for moving said collar, said collar being formed ofseparable parts to enable the removal of the collar without disturbingthe other parts of the mechanism.

19. In a variable speed mechanism, the combination of a shaft, bearingsfor said shaft, an expansible pulley mounted on said shaft between saidbearings, said pulley comprising parts movable longitudinally of saidshaft for expanding said pulley, a collar on said shaft for moving oneof said parts, said collar being provided with trunnions, a leverengaging said trunnions for moving said col lar, said collar beingformed of separable parts to enable the removal of the collar withoutdisturbing the other parts of the mechanism, said collar being providedwith an oiler that is adapted to supply oil in any position of thecollar.

20. The combination of conical disks, belts engaging said'disks, acollar rotatably connected to each of said disks for moving the latterupon its shaft, said collars having upper and lower studs formedintegrally therewith, up per and lower levers having slots for engagingsaid studs, and a bushing mounted upon each of said studs, and havingparallel surfaces for engaging the walls of said slots.

21. In a variable speed mechanism, the combination of two pairs ofopposing conical disks having slats enga ing their conical surfaces andforming cylinders, open driving belts engaging said cylinders, aretaining belt engaging the inner opposed portions of the peripheries ofsaid cylinders, and idlers for guiding said retaining belt, one of saididlers being journaled in boxes mounted upon guides, bolts engaging saidboxes and passing through stationary portions of the frame, springs onsaid bolts and bearing against said stationary portions, and collarsadjustably secured on said bolts at the opposite ends of said springs.

22. In a variable speed mechanism, the combination of two pairs ofopposing conical disks having slats engaging their conical surfaces andforming cylinders, levers fulc'rumed between said pairs of disks andengaging said disks for moving the disks of each pair toward or awayfrom each other, a retaining belt engaging the inner opposed portions ofsaid cylinders, springs bearing against the fulerums of said levers, anidler for guiding said retaining belt, and springs for moving saididler, whereby both said driving belts and said retaining belt aremaintained under tension.

23. In a variable speed mechanism, the combination of two pairs ofopposing conical disks having slats engaging their conical surfaces andforming cylinders, levers ful crumed between' said pairs of disks andengaging said disks for moving the disks of each pair toward or awayfrom each other, a retaining belt engaging the inner opposed portions ofsaid cylinders, springs hearing against the fnl crums of said levers, anidler for guiding said retaining belt, and springs for moving saididler, whereby both said driving belts and said retaining belt aremaintained under tension, and means for adjusting said springs.

2-1t. In a variable speed mechanism, the combination of two pairs ofopposing conical disks having slats engaging the conical surfacesthereof and forming cylinders, open driving belts engaging saidcylinders, a retaining belt engaging said slats during the portion oftheirtravel not en gag-ed by said driving belts, and idlers for guidingsaid re 'taining belt, said idlers being entirely without the space:between said pairs of disks, whereby ample space is pro ;vided for thebearings of said idlers, and access afforded i thereto.

In testimony that 1 claim the foregoing I have hereunto 1 set my hand.

HOWARD ROY STACKS.

Witnesses .Tosnrn M. Hnwnn'r'r, GALES CnnssoN, Jr.

